Designer Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe.

 Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. Born 8 Oct 1900 Chelsea, London. Died 17 July 1996 Lyme Regis, aged 95 years old.

References used: Geoffrey Jellicoe, Edited by Sheila Harvey, LDT Monographs No 1, Publ LDT Monographs, 1998 (FCH Library ref no 712.092 JEL/HAR, 7 day loan).

The Collected Works of Geoffrey Jellicoe, The Studies of a Landscape Designer over 80 Years, Volume III, Studies in Landscape Design, Publ Garden Art Press, 1996. (FCH Library Reference 712.092 JEL).

Profile: From wikipaedia. "He often included his. ."distinctive signature characteristics such as canals, weirs, bridges, viewing platforms and associated planting by Jellicoe's wife Susan," as at the Hemel Hempstead water gardens (inspired by Paul Klee) he designed for this new town in the late 1950's." (he also designed a garden for RHS Wisley to display water lilies, renamed the "Jellicoe canal in his memory.).

After winning a British Prix de Rome for Architecture in 1923, he was able to research his first book Italian Gardens of the Renaissance  with John C Shepherd.  He taught at the University of Greenwich from 1979 to 1989.

The book  Geoffrey Jellicoe, some very interesting coverage of his design inspiration and process. Pg  100 "An interesting point about Jellicoe's belief in the power of a hidden narrative or symbol is that for him it is crucial that the message remains hidden." He is also interested in how Jung's work on the subconcious can influence landscape design.

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Picture taken from Geoffrey Jellicoe, Edited by Sheila Harvey.

I chose The Kennedy Memorial, Runnymede as my favourite piece of work.  In part because of cultural associations, to me Kennedy being a president was a major event for the Irish community in the same way that Obama becoming president was important to Black Americans. Also, because similar to all big tragedies that are covered in the media, although you did not actually know the person or people involved there is so much factual (and of course conspiracy information in this case) out there that you feel a closer involvement than for those not covered by the media. (After all I was only two years and seven months when he was murdered). Apart from my natural interest I liked the design aspects such as the stone sets to represent the individual pilgrims setting out and on up. This image is linked to John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress  giving a nice link to our classic literature and an element of gravitas and spirituality in keeping with a memorial.

Picture taken from Pg 190 of The Collected Works of Geoffrey Jellicoe. "To correct the optical illusion the stone is imperceptibly curved in all directions."

It is interesting to note that cultural associations and human feeling of sorrow about a tragedy mean that my normal penchant for water gardens was over ruled otherwise I would have chosen his water garden at Hemel Hempsted.